Apparatus for moistening yarn while drawing and twisting



June 16, 1964 cFfccHl 3,137,117

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING YARN WHILE DRAWING AND TWISTING Filed Jan. 22, 1962 BRUND CECCHI twist stage.

APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING YARN WHILE DRAWING AND TWISTENG I Bruno Cecchi, Via Cadorna 3, Prato, Florence, Italy Filed Jan. 22, 1962, Ser. No. 167,852

' 6 Claims. (Cl. 57-35) V The invention relates to processing and spinning of textile fibres. It is known, that in order to process textile fibres properly, the latter must be slightly humidified and oiled. This is done for the purpose of either facilitating relative slippage among the fibres, or to effect better relative anchoring among the fibres after twisting, Usually an oil and water mixture is distributed in the fibres before carding. This however does not insure a proper degree ofmoisture or humidity in the fibres which are to be spun. a

The present invention has as its object provision of ap paratus which permits proper humidifying of the fibres in a controlled manner. The present invention effects humidifying of the fibres in a pre-twist stage, that is, when United States Patent the fibres, already worked in the form of roving, are subjected to drawing and a false twist. form of roving while the fibres are conveyed to the spinning apparatus. 1

The liquid for moistening or humidifying may be applied as a liquid or a vaporized liquid at a determined position of the roving in the drawing and pre-twist operations. This arrangement may offer some difficulties with respect to the uniformity of soaking or impregnation. Also an excessive consumption of vaporized liquid and excessive humidification of the room where the spinning machine is installed may occur due to the dispersion of moisture in the form of atomized liquid or steam.

A particularly elfective arrangement of the humidification apparatus according to the invention is that of applying moisture through the walls of the pre-twist or false twist members which contact the roving during the pre- Thus, the moisture may be distributed to the fibres by contact. False twist or pre-twist equipment may include pairs of members which rotate in the same direction so that their cooperating surfaces which simultaneously engage the roving therebetween move in opposite directions to impart the false twist thereto. These members may have their peripheries approach each other at a roving transit position. Due to porosity of parts of the rotary members, contacting the roving, it is possible to obtain a transfer of liquid from the pre-twist members to the roving material. This effect is facilitated by contrifugal action in the liquid which is internally fed to the rotary members. Due to the centrifugal action the liquid reaches the peripheries of the rotary members which are porous and allow the moisture passage.

It is possible to arrange one or both the members of a pair of adjacent hollow rotary members, with liquid feed members located in the interiors of the hollow members. A peripheral portion communicating with the cavity in the rotary member is made of a porous material and thus allows under the centrifugal action, transfer of moisture or humidity to the peripheral surface and then to the roving material. The porous peripheral zone of the rotary member or of each rotary pre-twist member may be made of a rigid porous material, such as sponge-like material, rigid sponge or the like, also as a soft material like felt or rubber foam or the like. This porous material may have a peripheral roughening which facilitates mechanical action on the roving in order to form the desired twist thereof.

An adjustment of the liquid feed may be provided for each single rotary member or pair of pre-twist rotary members. The adjustment may be simultaneously operat- This maintains the ice I ed and controlled for all the false twist or pre-twist members of a bank of spindles.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description and the accompanying draw- .ing, which illustrates an embodiment of the invention. In

other and substantially symmetricalwith respect to the trajectory or path of the roving 2 which is to be subjected to a false twist.

A support 3 is engaged through nuts 4 and 4a to the support structure 1 and is designed .to support the rotary false twist member. For this purpose, the support 3 bears a bearing 6, on which the rotary member 7 is mounted. Member 7 has a substantially frustro-conical base portion. Thisbase portion cooperates with the base portion of another rotary member 7a adjacent thereto, for the purpose of eifecting a false twist on the roving 2 in in the zone of closest approach of the two peripheries of the members 7 and 7a. The members 7, 7a may be rotated through a flexible belt 8. The upper portions of the members 7, 7a are shaped as races 9 and 9a respectively for the belt 8. v

. In the lower portion of each member 7 and 7a, according to the invention, there is provided an outwardly projecting annular disc-like element 10 or 10a whose periphery imparts the twist to the roving 2. In each member 7 or 7 there is provided a plug member 12, engaged with thread 13a formed at the open lower end of a cavity 13 in the base of each member. Flange 12b of the plug member 12 exerts compression on element 10 or 10a. Support is thus provided to the outer periphery of each element 10, 10a. Each element 10 or 10a may be formed of rigid porous material, such as a ceramic material or the like. It may alternatively be formed of felt or other equivalent material. Water or other liquid contained in the chamber 13 reaches the porous element 10 or 10a through the channels 14 which distribute the liquid. The channels may lead into an annular passage 15. As the member 7 rotates, centrifugal force tends to make the liquid penetrate into the porous element 10 or 10a and to distribute the liquid, which seeps through the element 10 or 10a towards the roving 2. This roving is repeatedly touched or grazed by the peripheries of the elements 10 and10a.

In order to feed the liquid into chamber 13, the support 3 is drilled with an axial hole 17 to which the liquid arrives from a flexible conduit 18 through a side fitting 19. In order to adjust the liquid flow into the chamber 13 and thus the humidity or moisture fed to the peripheries of the elements 10 and 10a, there is provided a suitable adjustable valve arrangement which includes conical needle 20. This needle co-operates with a corresponding conical seat in the conical member 21' secured to the lower end of the support 3. The needle 20 is controlled for axial movement at the upper end of the support 3, by a screw for a single adjustment, or if simultaneous control of several valves is required through a shaft 22 provided with earns 23 at each of the individual supports 3. The cams act on plates 20a integral with stems of the needle valves 20. The cam 23 of each valve acts against the action of an opposing spring 24.

It is apparent that with this arrangement it is possible Patented June 16., 1964 a to moisten the-fibres of the roving 2 during the pre-twist operation by contact with the rotating porous elements 10, 1041. This assures the complete and uniform moistening of all the fibres.

While I have shown and described what I believe to be imparting a false twist thereto, comprising a stationary support,-a pair ofrotary members disposed axially parallel and rotatably carried by said support, said members being spaced apart to permit passage of a roving therebetween in a direction parallel to the axes. of said members, said members carrying annular elements projecting radiall'y outwardly toward each other and slightly spaced from each other to contact and twist the rovingat periph eries of said elements, at least one of said elements being porous, and liquid delivery means inside of at least one of said members carrying-said one element, said one member being formed with passage means for conveying liquid from said liquid delivery means to the porous element, whereby moisture is supplied tothe roving only while the-roving is being twisted and is being drawnv lengthwise between the annular elements. I

2; Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one member hasa generally flat bottom, said one annular element being disposed at the said bottom, and a plug removably attached to the, base, said plughaving a flange bearing on said, one element holding the same. on said one member. 7 I

3. Apparatus according to'claim 1, wherein said liquid delivery, means includes a valve, and valve control means operatively engaging said valve for controlling supply of liquid therethroughr v 4.. Apparatus for moistening roving while drawing and imparting a false twist thereto, comprising a stationary support, a pair of rotary members disposed axially parallel and rotatablycarried by said support, said members being spaced apart to permit passage of a roving therebetween in a direction parallel to the axes of said members, said members carrying annular elements projecting radially outwardly toward each other and slightly spaced from each other to contact and twist the roving at peripheries of said elements,.each of said elements being porous, each of said members being hollow, liquid delivery means inside of each of said members, each of said members being formed with passages for conveying liquid from said liquid delivery means to the porous element carried by each member, whereby moisture is supplied to the roving only while the roving is being twisted and is being drawn lengthwise between the annular elements while said members rotate.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each of said members has a generally flat bottom, each annular element being disposed at said bottom, and'a plug removably attached to each member, each plug having a flange bearing one of the elements and holding the same on its carrying member. j

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said liquid delivery means includes valves in said members respectively, and valve control means including cams operatively engaging each of said valves for simultaneously controlling a supply of liquid to both of said annular elements.

References Cited in the file of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,867,664, I Groves July 19, 1932 2,080,193 Bakker May 11, 1937 1 2,297,536 Buckwalter 7 Sept. 29, 1942 2,476,298 Heizer- July 19, 1949 2,577,793 Miller Dec. 11, 1951 3,021,663 Findlow Feb. 20, 1962 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,222,032 France Jan. 18, 1960 

1. APPARATUS FOR MOISTENING ROVING WHILE DRAWING AND IMPARTING A FALSE TWIST THERETO, COMPRISING A STATIONARY SUPPORT, A PAIR OF ROTARY MEMBERS DISPOSED AXIALLY PARALLEL AND ROTATABLY CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT, SAID MEMBERS BEING SPACED APART TO PERMIT PASSAGE OF A ROVING THEREBETWEEN IN A DIRECTION PARALLEL TO THE AXES OF SAID MEMBERS, SAID MEMBERS CARRYING ANNULAR ELEMENTS PROJECTING RADIALLY OUTWARDLY TOWARD EACH OTHER AND SLIGHTLY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER TO CONTACT AND TWIST THE ROVING AT PERIPHERIES OF SAID ELEMENTS, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS BEING POROUS, AND LIQUID DELIVERY MEANS INSIDE OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID MEMBERS CARRING SAID ONE ELEMENT, SAID ONE MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH PASSAGE MEANS FOR CONVEYING LIQUID FROM SAID LIQUID DELIVERY MEANS TO THE POROUS ELEMENT, WHEREBY MOISTURE IS SUPPLIED TO THE ROVING ONLY WHILE THE ROVING IS BEING TWISTED AND IS BEING DRAWN LENGTHWISE BETWEEN THE ANNULAR ELEMENTS. 